The leader of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Bahr El Ghazal Region, Pastor Daniel Garang Marach Yel, who was held captive on Friday last week by elements suspected to be from South Sudan People Defense Force (SSPDF) in Warrap State was released on Tuesday.
According to the church’s clergy, Pastor Marach was kidnapped while on his way to Luony-Aker in Warrap State’s Gogrial East County where he scheduled to conduct baptisms and other spiritual activities on the Sabbath (Saturday) last week.
The pastor called his leader in Wau from Kuajok on Friday morning requesting prayers before he set off.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Friday, William Kabi, the president of the Bahr El Ghazal Adventist Church, said the abducted clergyman was released days after this publication ran a story about his seizure.
“Pastor Daniel Garang Marach was released after you interviewed me so he is now with us here in Wau, is healthy, and has resumed his work and you can talk to him,” he confirmed.
Pastor Marach narrated his experience in captivity, saying he did not know where he was held but was not assaulted or mistreated in any way.
“I started my church mission on Friday last week to Luony-Aker town in Gogrial East County and in the middle of the forest, two motorcycles carrying three armed men in civilian clothes by-passed me and became suspicious,” he narrated. “One mind told me to return but I was left with only 20 minutes to my destination so I decided to proceed. Shortly after, I found two armed men standing on the sides of the road and slowed down and stopped. They asked my name and I told them.”
Pastor Marach however clarified that he was not detained at Majak-tit Military Barracks as alleged.
“The armed men then called their armed colleagues from the forest and they started their motorcycles. They asked for my phones, told me I was under arrest, and demanded to ride my motorcycle,” he stated. “I complied and they took me deep into the forest where I found about 25 cattle raiders who had been arrested. I do not know that forest well because I hail from Gok-Machar County in Northern Bahr El Ghazal State.”
The pastor says his captors alleged that he was from the Marial Wau Community in Western Bahr El Ghazal State who are feuding with the Apuk Community of Gogrial East County over ownership of the Manyang area. He said armed men claimed that do not want the advancement of the Adventist Church in Gogrial East County of Warrap State.
“I spent the whole of Friday in prison and one member from our church who is a soldier broke the news to me in the morning that these soldiers arrested me to prevent church activities in Gogrial East County. Last Monday morning, I was investigated by military leaders who I do not want to state who they belong to,” Marach recounted. They alleged that I come from Marial Wau Community and I said no and showed them my passport and nationality card. They then held a discussion among themselves and released me on Tuesday and ordered me to return to Kuajok claiming that I would be killed in Luony-Aker town if I insisted on going there.”
He said that he was not beaten and was given cereals to eat but his SSP 50,000 was taken.
“These were not SSPDF soldiers and are not even involved with the Warrap State government because our Adventist Church operates in Kuajok, Gogrial West, Gogrial East, Twic, and Greater Tonj,” the pastor stated. “These armed men might be a satanic group who do not like our church to grow in Gogrial East because a few years back our churches were burnt down and our members were arrested.”
“I appreciated the Government of Warrap State for trying their best to secure my release when they heard of my disappearance through the media and our church members in Kuajok and Wau,” Marach added.